Here, my life behind bars offers understanding for those of you who venture into ‘the life’ with no understanding of its consequences: the adversity, the obstacles and the journey one must travel alone when the gavel is slammed, your cell is locked and the lights go out.

Mothers, I Feel Your Pain

I wonder what it must be like for the woman who dreams of happily ever after, gives birth to a son, and then finds herself confronted by America’s nightmare. Her beautiful baby boy will some day grow into a young man who will eventually be seen as a target!

A target of mandatory minimums.

A target of mass criminalization.

A target for mass incarceration.

A target for being young, black, and living in America.

Her child susceptible to being shot down as a result of being young, black, and living in America. A mother’s moment of joy hijacked by fear. From the womb without a fair chance. The odds stacked against her little bundle of joy. Her comfort can only carry him so far. Soon he will become a target of miseducation delivered through historically incorrect curricula. A target of an imbalanced judicial system. In the U.S. black male defendants are sentenced to 19.5% longer sentences than white males in similar situations. A target of the mountain of inequalities that blight those who are young, black, and living in America.

This war against young black men is a disguised attack on our mothers.

An entire people made targets as consciousness develops and evolves. Fear that those young, black, and living in America will learn of centuries old injustices that mirror those of today. Targets because no longer is it a preference to be dumb, deaf, and blind; but bold, intelligent, and, most definitely, black.

Mothers, I feel your pain. But how can I relate? Because I am undoubtedly a target. Although I didn’t realize it then, and my mother was too strong-willed to let on, today I understand that I was born a target.

My mother, our mothers, unable to smile, haunted by visions of her child’s near definite future. Intimidated by the whole of outside, our mothers worry of the endless possibilities that can obstruct a child’s return home. Sadly, this fear is not marked alone by guns and gangs but also by the emergence of gangstas with badges. The latter more dangerous ten-fold, as it is particularly those men and women who are placed on our streets to serve and protect. Instead, they are taking on the face of the perpetrator.

To be young, black, and living in America is to be a target of America’s deadliest weapon: racial divide!

about live from lockdown

LIVEFROMLOCKDOWN (LIVE) is meant to educate the public on the harsh realities of the streets and prison. LIVE is not meant to self-aggrandize or glamorize street life, prison and gang culture, nor does LIVE intend to incite violence or facilitate illicit activities between, among or on behalf of inmates.